Category Archives: Wisdom Card Wednesday

We speak regularly about the joy it brings us to receive your artwork and letters in the mail. Why? Because we are firm believers that

“Communication is reality.”

What does this mean, and how does it relate to our taking pleasure in making room in our discussions for thoughtful voices from the community, even those of dissent? One of the basic assertions shared by both mythology and the comic book universe, and upheld by award winning graphic novels such as The Sandman, Fables, and Promethea, is the idea that every book, movie, or song ever written, fictional or non-fictional, gives birth to a new reality somewhere. Basically, to tell a story about something is to give it form in this world, and allow for others to begin to interact with your internal reality. An individual’s emotional reality (or inner story) affects their behavior in the present. In his famous book The Four Agreements, author Don Miguel Ruiz eloquently makes the point that each individual exists within their own dream, their own understanding of the moment. He reminds us that any ability to experience a shared sense of meaning about an event with another is an outcome of a large collection of agreements, or cultural norms. Agreements are at the core of any group or community, allowing for a sense of companionship on our journey and the possibility for cooperation in achieving shared goals.

In this regard, to cut off the flow of communication and expression is to dominate, and to allow for others to be fully expressed in their emotional truth is to consent to be in deeper, more reciprocal relation. Taking the time to communicate with compassion allows for outcomes to be arrived at rather than enforced, imparting the inherent joy of co-creation.

We experience the importance of this understanding every day here, as we attempt to dance in a coordinated manner towards the shared goal of continuing to help you to breathe easier and provide you with useful, beautiful, handmade products. This is why we have chosen to include this aphorism (one of more than 350) in our highly curated 33 card Deck of Essential Wisdom (seen here beside our Spiral Vine Launch Box in Walnut). If you already have the deck and have found it to be useful to you in your process, please let us know!